As I was puttering around the hospital, doing my stocking up, I noticed an extra wheelchair in the hall.  In a flash, I knew that Peter had died.

Peter had been a patient in the hospital for over a month.  He was always requesting writing supplies, because he wanted to keep his mind sharp.  Alas, age was catching up with him, and he was starting to get fits of confusion and paranoia.  I figure, the man survived WWII – he’s entitled to a bit of paranoia in his old age.

I walked over to his room and saw he was no longer there, and that the curtain had been pulled around his bed.  I asked the housekeeper, “Has Peter passed away?”

“No,” she replied, “He’s been transferred to another hospital.”
“Oh, was that scheduled?”

“No, but he was having some trouble, so they transferred him out.”

Later, while I was cleaning equipment, Peter visited me.  Yes, he has passed over, he’s in heaven now.  You’ll never guess where:

The pink garden.

Peter explained to me that the pink garden is a place of healing after an earth experience.  Some people need some time out before they start their spirit work, and there are many “rehab” options to choose from.  Your heart chooses for you, he says.  His heart chose the pink garden.

“I used to love to garden, as a boy in Germany,” he shared.

“Does everyone who needs to recover go to the pink garden?  My friend’s alcoholic grandfather is “in recovery” according to his late wife.  Is he in the pink garden?”

“Maybe not, there are many options.  There is a sunny beach, there is a library, there is a lake, there is a place like Hawaii hot springs with white flowers and birds everywhere.  I like the pink garden – there are so many hummingbirds here.  They are very precise.”

It’s true.  Hummingbirds are precise creatures.  I can see why my German friend appreciates them.

“Can you tell me more about the pink garden, peter?”

“There is a pool with a fountain, and ancient koi fish who will counsel you if you feel like talking, or they help you meditate if you just want to drift. 

The air is fragrant, not too much.  Pleasant and happy feelings, not overwhelming perfume.  There is no allergies. 

The roses, the lilies, all the shapes of flowers I recognize from my gardens on earth, everything is shades of pink.  Such a beautiful, happy colour, I never realized. 

Earth is indeed shades of grew compared to the variety of colours here.  So many pinks.

This why, when you want to send healing, you send pink.”

It’s true, when I want to send healing to my friends or anyone at all, usually emotional healing, I send pink bubbles.  I chose this because of my own experience in the pink garden of Heaven.

“Thank you for visiting me, Peter.  I will never forget you.”

“I will never forget the song you sang to me, my dear.  Such pretty women singing to me before I died.  I thought of that all Christmas, thank you.”

(My coworker and I learned to sing Silent Night in German, and we decided to sing it for Peter.  We asked him to tell us if we got it right, and he said, “Close!  Very Good!”)

“Happy to do it, Peter.  Enjoy Heaven.”

“I intend to!”

Enjoy Heaven.  It sounds a lot better to me than Rest in Peace.